June 24-28, 2013

Today in the News Media

Today in the News Media is a synopsis of some of the most prominent coverage of OSU people and programs. Inclusion of any item constitutes neither an endorsement nor a critique, but rather is intended only to make the OSU community aware of significant items in the media.

An accidental release of the genetically modified wheat seems implausible, but concluding there is sabotage because other scenarios have been ruled out “is not the best scientific approach,” said Bob Zemetra, an Oregon State University professor involved in the initial testing of the Oregon wheat. (see also The Guardian, NASDAQ, Register-Guard)

Tuition and mandatory fees at Oregon State University will increase by 4.5 percent for the 2013-14 school year. The State Board of Higher Education voted 10-3 Friday to approve increases recommended in May by its Finance and Administrative Committee.

As colleges and universities across the country move to start or expand online education, professors at Oregon State University worry their university isn’t doing enough to control quality at its longstanding and fast-growing online program.

With a clink of glass, a hiss of compressed air and a chunk of machinery, a line of beer bottles moved through the automated production line at Oregon State University’s small on-campus brewery Thursday afternoon. (see also Statesman Journal)

Oregon State college baseball coach Pat Casey and several members of his coaching staff and team stopped by Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha Wednesday morning to offer a little encouragement to children who desperately need it.

Oregon State University researchers conclude in a new report that a global push for small hydropower projects, supported by various nations and also the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, may cause unanticipated and potentially significant losses of habitat and biodiversity. (see also Forbes, Power Technology, Phys.Org)

Brad Cardinal, an Oregon State professor who has studied college-student fitness, said that universities’ recreation centers (membership in which students have already paid for through activity fees) are becoming ever more lavish.

So, how did we get to this point of perpetual sequels? To find out, I reached out to two film professors, Dana Polan of NYU and Jon Lewis of Oregon State University. “B movies, like Frankenstein, would be sequelized, but it was largely seen as more typical of genre pictures,” Professor Lewis told me over the phone.

We’re at a threshold today in central Oregon, the state’s only metropolitan region lacking a four-year-university infrastructure, where attractive real estate prices and community support for higher education can leverage the state’s investment many times over.

The Oregon House has passed a 2013-15 budget for the Oregon University System that will allow Oregon State University’s statewide public services to continue operating at their existing service levels.

While the research is not conclusive, an Oregon State University study last year found striking evidence that very moderate intake of alcohol after menopause can help prevent the deterioration of bones. The study focused on women consuming an average 1.4 drinks per day.

Oregon State University researchers are hoping to tap into the state’s growing population of bird-watching enthusiasts to create a volunteer team of “citizen scientists” to gather data on Oregon’s resident and visiting birds. (see also Gazette-Times)

“It’s been known for decades that only women with prior infection with HPV get cervical cancer,” said Andrey Morgun, an assistant professor and a leader of the study in the OSU College of Pharmacy. “In about 90 percent of cases it’s naturally eliminated, often without any symptoms. But in a small fraction of cases it can eventually lead to cancer, in ways that have not been fully understood.” (see also Science Daily)

“There’s a major decline in physical activity from 18 to 19 years old,” says Bradley Cardinal, PhD, a professor of social psychology of physical activity at Oregon State University, who says there can be another when you enter the workplace — particularly if you have a job that requires you to sit at a desk all day long. Plus, as you move up the ranks, you typically run around doing errands for the company less frequently, says Cardinal — so you’ll likely spend more time parked at your desk as you climb the corporate ladder.

HB2427 calls for Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences to produce up to 500 acres of canola in the valley for research purposes for three years, keeping intact isolation distances between canola and specialty seed crops that equal or exceed industry-recommended isolation distances. (see also Capital Press)

Wednesday

Afternoon Public Sale at the OSUsed Store: The OSUsed Store is open for its public sale Wednesday, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 644 SW 13th Street. Personal purchases must be made during public sales. Departments may shop 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, or during public sales on Wednesdays. For more information, visit our website.

Thursday

NEW! Bonnichsen retirement: A reception for Technology Support Services employee Melani Bonnichsen takes place June 27, noon to 2 p.m., in the Journey and Talisman rooms in the Memorial Union. Bonnichsen has a combined 25 years of service to OSU and has worked all over campus, first at Internal Audit, followed by Fisheries and Wildlife, College of Engineering, Athletics and finally Technology Support Services.

Lectures and webinars

NEW! Experiencing Wine: Lessons for the Enthusiastic Beginner: Elizabeth Tomasino, Assistant professor of Enology, OSU, is offering a four week summer program in wine evaluation and tasting. The program begins on July 30 in Wiegand 238 at 6:30 p.m. Registration is $250, with a 10 percent discount for OSU faculty and staff. For more information, please visit: http://owri.oregonstate.edu/featured-events. Preregistration is required.

News for Employees

NEW! MU Retail Food Service Summer hours: Our summer hours have changed, we are here happy to serve you! To see our hours of operation for summer please visit: http://mu.oregonstate.edu/murfs/. We look forward to making your summer more appetizing.

NEW! Introducing Fulbright Flex Awards: The Fulbright Scholar Program welcomes applications from faculty and researchers who propose multiple, short-term stays in the host country over a period of two to three years. Flex Awards are also designed for scholars who require multiple visits abroad to accomplish their research objectives. In addition to their research activities, Flex award scholars will be required to give public talks, participate in seminars, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host country academic community.For more information about this new program model, visit our website or the Fulbright Scholar Blog. Guidance for Project Statements can also be found online or contact, Julie Walkin at Julie.walkin@oregonstate.edu. Deadline to Apply: Aug. 1.

NEW! Recreational Sports Spring Term/Half Term/9-Month Memberships and Lockers Expire June 28: Renew your membership and locker today.Don’t get stuck with an expired locker – it will cost you $5 to get your items back if we clean your locker out for you. Questions? Contact Ali Casqueiro, Membership Coordinator, 541-737-4883.

NEW! Family Swim & Climb at Recreational Sports – Bring your family to Recreational Sports this summer and enjoy Family Swim and Family Climb. Family Climb: Monday-Friday, 4 to 8 p.m. in Dixon’s Climbing Center & Family Swim: All hours of operation.

NEW! Recreational Sports – Intramural Par 3 Golf League: All Recreational Sports Members (Students, Faculty, Staff, and Affiliates) and OSU community members can participate in the Par 3 Golf League. Registration is open until June 28. Register online or at Recreation Services in Dixon.

NEW! U-Fit: Faculty/Staff Series with Rec Sports: Join Rec Sports this summer for a faculty/staff beginners exercise program. U-Fit is for individuals who want to build skills and confidence to become regularly physically active. Learn more here.

NEW!Wells Fargo Clean Technology and Innovation Grant Program: The program funds clean technology incubator and accelerator programs along with research and development projects involving universities and colleges. It supports building a framework for entrepreneurs seeking to provide scalable solutions in the low carbon economy. This is a limited submission. Letter of intent guidelines: http://oregonstate.edu/research/incentive/wells-fargo. Information: Debbie Delmore. Deadline to the Research Office: July 8

NEW! Giustina Gallery accepting art: The 8th Annual Community Art Show is currently accepting work. All ages are welcome at any skill level. Work must be smaller than 30″ wide and cannot weigh more than 20 lbs. All work must be framed and ready to hang with a sturdy hanger. Limited 3D work will be accepted. The date to accept work is June 26, 4 p.m. Bring work to the Giustina Gallery at 875 SW 26th St.

NEW! Faculty Release Time (FRT): The Research Office, Incentive Programs is accepting applications for the FRT Fall 2013-14 Solicitation (Winter or Spring 2014 Release). The program provides limited funding for individuals developing external grant proposals or who wish to further their scholarly activities. Program description and application: http://oregonstate.edu/research/incentive/frt. Information: Debbie Delmore at debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu. Deadline: August 13.

“Google Apps for OSU: The Essentials” – new sessions in June and July: Google Apps for OSU will be enabled for the entire OSU community in July. To learn more about why OSU is adopting Google Apps and how it will foster collaboration with our colleagues and communities, please register for one of our 60 minute in-person sessions in Richardson Hall, INTO, Milam Hall, and the Valley Library. Online sessions will be scheduled soon. More info is at http://oregonstate.edu/main/online-services/google-apps-for-osu/training-help-support/session-schedule. The presentation will include brief demos.

UHDS Fall 2013 Opening and Early Arrival Information: Fall 2013 Move-In will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Wednesday, Sept. 25.OSU departments and programs that require students to arrive prior to Move-In must complete the Early Arrival Request Form by Aug. 1. Visit http://bit.ly/uhdsearlygrouparrival for further details and contact information.

XPress Stop – Mailing Services: The Bookstore’s Post Office substation will close on July 31. However, Printing and Mailing Services (P&M) will open an XPress Stop in the MU at the end of July. The XPress Stop will provide an array of mailing and quick copy services to the OSU community in a centralized, convenient location. The goal is to seamlessly transition the Bookstore’s mailing services to the new XPress Stop with minimal inconvenience to customers. If the opening of the XPress Stop is delayed for any reason, utilize P&M’s mailing services at 100 Cascade Hall in the interim. More information on the grand opening of P&M’s XPress Stop is coming soon. Contact Lindsay.middleton@oregonstate.edu with questions.

Traffic and Maintenance

Electrical shutdown: On June 23, the following buildings will be without power from approximately 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

• Withycombe

These buildings will have the power shut off at 9am and re-energized at approximately 10 a.m.. Then de-energized at 6 p.m. and re-energized at approximately 7 p.m.

• Nash

• Gilmore

• Ballard Extension

• Women’s Building

Washington Way: Due to extensive field maintenance, a portion of Washington Way will be closed for equipment and materials staging from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 24-26.

Procurement and Contract Services, a department in Campus Operations, has an opening for a Contract Services Student Assistant. This part-time position will handle all aspects of file tracking from data entry and responding to phone and email requests to ensuring the signature process and the file is complete. It will also include designing and implementing the Contract Services webpage. For a complete posting visit the Beaver Job Network. Application deadline is July 1, 5 p.m.

The Division of University Outreach and Engagement invites applications for a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Oregon Open Campus and Special Initiatives Leader position. Posting # 0010747. Posting opens May 30 at 6 p.m. and closes July 7.

The OSU Foundation has a job opportunity for a Receptionist at the Corvallis Office. This position will serve as first contact between Foundation employees and their callers and visitors and will provide excellent customer service to donors, visitors, special guests, and Foundation staff.

Weather

Corvallis: “If it could only be like this always – always summer, always alone, the fruit always ripe… “~Evelyn Waugh. Showers likely through Thursday, when the sun is set to return. Highs in the 70s, lows in the 50s until the end of the week when we could get back into the 80s.

Central Oregon: Showers this week with sun by the weekend. Highs in the 60s to 70s, lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.

Newport: Showers until the weekend, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 50s.